The invention relates generally to mobile reconnaissance platforms. In particular, this invention describes remotely or autonomously controlled spherical vehicles equipped with infrared sensors for local ground level missions.
Currently deployed robotic reconnaissance vehicles are designed to patrol areas in which hostile response to military presence may be suspected but difficult to identify by location, such as sniper attacks from high windows in an urban setting. Such vehicles may be constrained by considerations of speed (e.g., tracks), obstacle traversal (e.g., wheels) and/or maneuverability. In addition, the use of visual cameras may be of marginal utility for night-time or other conditions of low-visibility surveillance.